Anyone using a marine wiper motor?

I'm trying to get some wipers on my wifes 54 Chevy so she can drive it even when the sunshine is in it's liquid form. The vacuum motor was unhooked when we got the car and the cable system under the dash is a mess. I've seen replacement electric motors but that still leaves the issue of using the cables. Sure, I could try to sort em out...but I'd rather not. I've looked at the kit that Raingear sells and the price doesn't scare me so much as that the motor and bracketry/linkage for the drivers side of the car looks huge. This car is going to get A/C and I just feel like I need all the space I can get for ductwork. So...back to my original question. Anyone using a marine wiper motor? I've found em with either a 1" or 2" shaft and can be set up with different degrees of sweep as well as either swing right or left. I can get one brand new to my house for $70 bucks with a 90 day warranty on it. Should I give it a shot? If it works out buy another for the passenger side or leave the driver side running solo? Wire em seperate or together? Anyone else ever been down this path??

Thanks guys!

 

We have used these on our racecars (Daytona Prototype) and they were OK. I think they would probably work fine for a passenger car with a fairly small windshield. Our windshields are huge and are Lexan which is a lot more drag on the wiper than glass.

There are a couple problems that forced us to switch to a (very expensive) Bosch unit. First, the shaft is soft brass and it is just knurled, so it depends on the interference between the motor shaft and wiper arm to keep it in place. We required a more positive attaching system because we were stripping those shafts.

The second problem is that the first motor we purchased didn't have the 'park' option, so the wiper would stop wherever you switched it off. I'd spring for the park function when you buy a motor.

I think we bought ours from West Marine. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

 

I use rain-x myself and know if I put a wiper on the 54 it will never rain again, so in the intrest of preserving our planet I will not do this.

But If I was, here's the West Marine:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...L=true&storeNum=6&subdeptNum=502&classNum=503

 

i would think you can find surplus auto wiper motors, we have a chain of stores up here in Canada called Princess Auto who sells surplus wiper motors for $20 on sale all the time, there two speed with park, i bought two a couple years ago and installed one on my pickup, i just made my own linkage, i bet someone in your area has the same deal.

 

I was looking at the marine wipers due to them having an adjustable degree sweep. Off the shelf auto motors are just going to be hit or miss due to me having no idea how much sweep I'm going to need.

 

the amount of sweep you get will depend on how long an arm you make for the motor output shaft, i just used the arm mine came with and cut it down to what worked for me.

 

Since you can mount it under the dash, we always used vw or if you want to get fancy try the mg b series cable system. Got my last one complete fot 12 bucks at pic a part.
Rich

 

Here is what I did to my '50
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=299143

I've yet to see/play with the cable setup, but I don't see why you couldn't grab the arms off something else and make them fit?

 

I tried a Marine wiper motor but all it would do was charge up beaches and scare the locals half to death.

 

I used a rear window wiper motor off a TOYOTA WAGON and the original arm from my old motor. Hardest part was figuring out where, on the shaft, to mount the arm so that the sweep would be correct. Once done, it works great. Don't know if this would work for you though, as my motor is mounted outside on the firewall with the shaft and arm going through to the inside. It was cheap fix...5 bucks from the "Picn'N'Pull".

 

Got a marine set up on my 29 model a.Works great and it has two speeds.When i want to turn on the a/c (open the window)i simply pull the wiper blade off

 

Bbobb- ayn pic's of your install or any other info ?

 

They used to make them for dune buggies too, maybe an option.

 

If you end up with separate motors running each side they won't stay in sync. Might not matter but it does look strange when they're going slightly different speeds.

 

I thought about that...Me personally, I could live with just one wiper on the drivers side or two that probably would be outta sync. Being that this is my wifes car...she might not tolerate any of this crap that the rest of us would put up with! Hell, I offered to make sure it always had RainX on it!

 

I am dropping a stroker in her in the morning in time for the Hoedown on Saturday.I will send some pic's tomorrow evening

 

Thanks BBobb. So many guys on here with A's that the set-up would be good info.

 

i just picked a couple of these for my diamond t project. it has above the w/s wipers. nice and small, and adjustable left/right park, and adjustable sweep. AFI 35040. the body size is 3.25" X 2.25" oval, and 3.25" deep. 3/8" dia. threaded shaft.

http://www.discountmarinesupplies.com/Wipers_Motors-AFI_STANDARD_WINDSHIELD_WIPER_MOTOR.html